ATTORNEY

As one of her clients eloquently put it, "Kristi is an attorney with a soul." Kristi Pimpleton practices law because she is driven to help regular people solve complex problems that impact their daily lives. As Kristi comes from a middle class family and has real life experience, she understands the issues and concerns her clients have. She also knows the legal process is intimidating and can make a problem feel much bigger than it is. She puts her clients at ease by providing simple and clear explanations and solutions based on twenty years of extensive experience. Kristi is courteous, professional, and genuinely wants to help her clients. 

Kristi graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 2003. She practiced at large and medium sized law firms in Seattle and Everett, first as an associate attorney and then as a shareholder, until she became seriously ill in 2015. While she was on medical leave, she lost her job as a shareholder at a firm in Seattle, which was devastating. To make matters worse, her claim for long-term disability benefits was denied, which left her without an income and created financial hardship. Although she hopes to never relive this experience, the obstacles she overcame were a blessing in disguise and led her to open her own practice representing individuals against big corporations.

She formed Sapphire Legal in September 2017, working from home part-time. She changed her practice from defending businesses and insurance companies to representing people, primarily employees with problems in the workplace. Helping real people solve legal problems reignited Kristi's passion for the law and reminded her why she went to law school in the first place. 

Because Kristi has experienced the loss of a job first-hand, she knows exactly what her clients are going through and treats them with empathy and compassion. Her representation and advice are personalized for every client based on the facts of their case and their personal goals. 

As a result of her client-focused practice, Kristi was recognized as a Client Champion in 2019, 2020, and 2021 by Martindale-Hubbell (a trusted legal resource since 1868) based on confidential client interviews it conducted. She was also recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for many years. 

On a personal note, Kristi grew up in a middle-class family. Her parents and grandparents were extremely hard workers, and as the oldest child, she adopted their work ethic. She earned good grades in school, played sports, and started her first real job at 14 years old working at a local burger joint part-time during the school year and full-time during summer break. 

Like anyone, Kristi has experienced ups and downs in life, but she never gives up and has always persevered and grown as a result of any hardship. She became a single mother at 19 years old and still managed to earn a bachelor's degree while also working full-time to support her daughter. She then went to law school at the University of Washington, got married during her 2L year, and had another baby just before graduating and taking the bar exam. Her baby was less than two months old when she took and passed the bar exam in 2003. Suffice it to say that Kristi has drive and determination, both of which have contributed to her success as a lawyer.  

We cannot post a proper biography for Kristi without mentioning that she knew she wanted to be an attorney at a young age because of her close relationship with her paternal grandmother, who was a justice of the peace in a small desolate town in eastern Montana (she did not have a law degree nor was she an attorney). When Kristi was a little girl, she frequently went to work at the courthouse with her grandmother. When her grandmother was in court, the clerk babysat Kristi. Otherwise, Kristi was right by her grandmother's side. Kristi and her grandmother mutually adored each other since the day she was born so it is no surprise that her experience with grandma in court motivated her to become an attorney, and no one was more proud of her than her grandmother. 

Kristi lives in Bothell with her husband, who is also a local business owner. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her kids, watching true crime television, vacationing, planning elaborate parties and dinners, organizing, knitting, and writing poetry.